1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of laundry appliances and, more specifically, to the incorporation of a versatile programming control arrangement in a laundry appliance.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In a laundry appliance, such as a clothes washer or dryer, it is necessary for a consumer to establish a certain operating cycle, as well as a desired operating time for the cycle. For example, in a washing machine, either before or after loading a tub of the machine with clothes to be laundered, the user must establish both a desired cycle and to establish an operating time for the cycle. Typically, a rotatable control knob is provided on a control panel of the appliance, with the knob having associated graphic zones thereabout to signify different, selectable cycles. For instance, a conventional washing machine would incorporate a knob which can rotate through 360xc2x0 for use in selecting between the washing of whites, delicates or colors. The knob would have associated therewith an indicator which generally functions as a pointer to provide feedback to the user of the selected operation.
The time needed to perform the selected operation depends on the positioning of the knob within a given cycle range. For example, the consumer can set the appliance to perform a light, normal or heavy washing operation, with each of these settings functioning to establish the length of time needed to perform the selected washing cycle. Additionally, the consumer could simply select a rinse mode, along with the time for the rinse mode.
In such a commonly known cycle and time setting arrangement utilizing a rotatable control knob, the knob can only be rotated in one direction. As the cycles for whites, delicates and colors are sequentially arranged about the knob, the knob often has to be rotated through a significant angular range to reach a desired position. In addition, since the knob can only be rotated in one direction, if the user even slightly over-rotates the knob, the user must then rotate the knob through slightly less than 360xc2x0 to finally reach the desired setting. Obviously, this overall control setting arrangement is quite inefficient.
A similar rotatable control knob arrangement for use in selecting both cycle and operating times can also be found in many clothes dryers. That is, it is known to provide a rotatable knob on a clothes dryer wherein the knob is used to select both the drying cycle, generally based on the type of clothing articles to be dried, and the drying time. Therefore, the same type of disadvantages discussed above with respect to the known washing machine control arrangements can also pertain to clothes dryers. In any event, there exists a need in the art of laundry appliances for an improved operation cycle and time setting control device wherein operation cycles and times can be easily and efficiently established.
The present invention pertains to a control device including a member which need only be manually shifted through a limited range of travel to establish a desired cycle and to adjust an operational time for the cycle in a laundry appliance. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control member has associated therewith four movable contacts which are arranged in pairs and interposed between three fixed contacts. Shifting of the control member a small amount in a first direction will function to engage a single pair of the contacts which, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, will cause a slow increase in the cycle time for the appliance. A larger shift of the control member causes another one of the movable contacts to engage another fixed contact to cause a change in the operation cycle for the appliance, preferably towards a previous cycle.
The control member is preferably biased to a center or neutral position. In a corresponding manner, a small shift of the control member from the neutral position in a second direction, opposite the first direction, causes a slow decrease in the cycle time. A larger shift of the control member in the second direction causes the system to advance to the next cycle. In any event, with this system, contacts which move with the control member can cooperate with fixed contacts to enable both time and cycle adjustments by the user through only a very limited range of travel of the control member.
In accordance with the most preferred form of the invention, the control member constitutes a rotary knob which need only be rotated a few degrees in order to complete a programming operation in a quick and convenient manner. In one embodiment of the invention, the control knob can only be rotated through approximately 15xc2x0 either direction from the neutral position. Around the rotary control knob is provided an annular graphic zone and an indicator is utilized to reflect the programmed information to the user. Most preferably, a light is provided in the annular zone to indicate both the cycle selected by the user and also the established cycle time. Therefore, the appliance control provides immediate feedback, in a consumer friendly manner, by lighting up a specified portion of an illumination track. When a rotary control member is utilized, the illumination track generally simulates a dial skirt.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numeral refer to corresponding parts in the several views.